Twinkle Twinkle Euro Stars - evaluation meeting

Representing Dun Karm Scerri primary school, Naxxar, I recently joined other teachers and co-ordinators from schools in Italy, England, and Spain at a meeting hosted by the fifth partner school - Emil Isac Primary - in Cluj, Romania, to discuss and evaluate this year's activities of the Comenius project, "Twinkle, Twinkle Euro Stars", which focused on the home town.

The other partner schools are Greenmere primary school, England; Muratori primary school in Turin, and C.P. Carlos III primary school in La Carlotta, Spain.

Children from the five schools have participated in various activities related to their town. They have designed brochures, researched about traditional craft in their town and participated in quizzes as well as field work activities.

This information was shared with the partner schools and so children learned more about each other's town. In addition, during the evaluation meeting, issues were raised upon how to enhance pupils' and teachers' participation in this Comenius project.

Budgetary constraints were also discussed and it was noted with satisfaction that the European Union Programmes Unit (EUPU) of the Education Division has made it possible for the Maltese project co-ordinator to attend this meeting. We also had the opportunity to visit classrooms and learn about teaching methods and strategies used in the Romanian school.

Students directed and produced a school play, Euro Star Travel Agency, where all partner countries were advertised as a tourist attraction. Through this performance, the Romanian children not only demonstrated their drama and ICT skills, but also made it possible for all present to participate as everything was held in English. Later, traditional gifts were exchanged. Maltese liqueurs, as well as a book about Naxxar, were given to our Romanian friends.